Chapter 46

The two daughters of the beautiful Cardinal Mare leaned against each other, and people couldn't help but be drawn to them. Naturally, their appearance was subject to evaluation.

- "Isabella Mare... She must have been too greedy. She stumbled today. Even monkeys fall from trees, you know."

- "Why is she so overdone today, unlike her usual self? Why is her dress white again?"

- "The younger sister looks better, doesn't she? She seems to have put in effort without looking like it."

The ladies' impressions of Isabella, who was overly dressed in every aspect, from her outfit to her makeup and hair, were clear.

- "She's covering everything, but her figure is still showing through the dress!"

- "Why did I miss that scene just now?!"

- "The second daughter is better than the first, isn't she?"

The gentlemen's admiration for Ariadne was evident. The tension between Ariadne and Isabella, as they stared at each other, was palpable. They did not appear to be the "affectionate sisters" Isabella had boasted about. The onlookers' whispers exploded as they observed the confrontation.

- "Why is Isabella wearing white?"

- "They decided to wear matching outfits because the younger sister asked first."

- "Are they really close? The atmosphere is intense."

With the murmur of the crowd as background noise, Ariadne asked Isabella, who was sniffling, in a low voice.

"Big sister, why are you crying?"

Isabella instinctively lashed out at Ariadne. Although Ariadne's expression didn't seem particularly friendly, Isabella had a deep-seated confidence. She believed that Ariadne was weaker and would follow if she pushed hard enough. To Isabella, the gazes of the San Carlo socialites behind her were far more important than Ariadne's feelings.

- "Ariadne! You see, the prince and the Marchioness misunderstood our relationship. They thought I said bad things about you."

To quell the expectant gazes of the people behind her, Isabella approached Ariadne with even more intention, pretending to be delighted to see her younger sister, and took her hand.

- "I was just saying that despite the wardrobe malfunction, or rather, because of it, you looked even more beautiful! Your figure is really great!"

Prince Alfonso was flabbergasted and his face turned red.

- "No, that's not what—"

At that moment, Ariadne calmly grabbed Prince Alfonso's fingertips to stop him. Her expression was calm, but she was inwardly smiling with satisfaction. She immediately understood the tactic Isabella was using when she called her "Aria," a nickname she had never heard before.

In her previous life, Isabella often used the same tactic, both in her childhood and as an adult. When she was caught spreading rumors, she would pretend to be close to the victim in front of others to suppress any backlash. People would assume the victim allowed such comments and move on, which also improved Isabella's reputation as "frank and friendly with everyone."

As a child, Ariadne was too afraid of Isabella to argue when she acted out in front of others. Isabella, who was very kind in public, would turn her face and ignore Ariadne or blame her for the problems after the situation was resolved.

After enduring this for years and becoming the regent's fiancée, Ariadne decided she couldn't take it anymore. She caught Isabella in the act and lashed out, shouting, "You liar!" and listing all of Isabella's wrongdoings. The next morning, she found herself portrayed as a cruel step-sister who bullied the poor and pitiful Isabella.

Ariadne had learned that when dealing with people, especially in matters not involving money or interests, it was better to use one's head. Rational judgment requires intellectual effort, which people often avoid. Even the most intellectual individuals would judge based on feelings and impressions in matters of interest. Ariadne had a vague understanding of how the world worked.

After being wronged by Isabella in her childhood, she had lain in bed countless times, twisting in frustration, wondering, "If I had answered differently, would the outcome have been different?" Now was the time to use the answer time had revealed.

As soon as Isabella took Ariadne's hand, Ariadne pretended to be startled, shuddered, and took a step back, as if she was terrified of Isabella. She tried to look as scared and distressed as possible, even though she couldn't produce tears, but she managed to look like she was about to cry.

- "Big sister! How can you talk about my figure like that...?"

This was a battle of who could appear more pitiful. The winner would be the one who claimed the position of the more pitiful one.

- "I really don't like such talk... You know I'm scared of it. I don't even like it as a compliment. I wish it wasn't mentioned at all..."

Isabella had no idea that Ariadne disliked such talk. It was something that would happen in the future, not in the past. Isabella had never really bullied Ariadne yet. However, Isabella's slight grievance didn't matter. Ariadne dramatically covered her chest with both arms and added in a tearful voice.

- "...I really don't like it when people look at me with strange eyes..."

Ariadne took a step back, looking hurt, and the San Carlo crowd was thoroughly entertained.

- "Oh, it seems many people were staring at her like animals... Poor thing..."

- "Where in San Carlo are there such terrible people? San Carlo gentlemen don't behave like that!"

- "I heard she grew up on a farm and came here as a child. If she's from the farm, it's understandable."

- "Hmm. That makes sense."

- "But is she really her sister? Even if they're step-sisters, it's too much."

Isabella, now portrayed as the one who had evaluated her step-sister's figure and didn't even know her nickname, was flustered and extended her hand.

- "A, Ariadne. That's not what I meant..."

Ariadne delivered the final blow to the hesitating Isabella.

- "Do you even care about me? My name is 'Ari,' not 'Aria'!"

Isabella, at a loss for words, opened her mouth, trying to find an excuse. Ariadne didn't give her time to escape and pressed on.

- "Even if I'm a new step-sister, it's too much. I've tried my best to be a good sister."

After delivering the fatal blow, Ariadne ran away, her face showing hurt. Isabella was now seen as the one who had triggered her step-sister's trauma, a cold-blooded family member who didn't know her step-sister's nickname, and a discriminatory person. Not wanting to be trapped in the crowd as the perpetrator, Isabella pretended to comfort her sister and escaped the scene.

- "Ariadne! Ariadne! Ari! Wait!"

She stubbornly insisted on using the original nickname, as she couldn't admit to any fault. Flaws were not to be tolerated.

The guests left behind by Ariadne and Isabella's departure became noisy. Despite the whispers, the volume increased as everyone spoke at once.

- "They wore matching white dresses because they're close? What a lie!"

- "Did you hear what Isabella said first? She claimed her sister liked attention and deliberately exposed her dress! Wow, I was suspicious from the start!"

- "Her character is really messed up!"

The San Carlo social scene was not going to be dull for a while.

* * *

Isabella chased after Ariadne and caught her on the stairs leading to the second floor, near the main entrance.

- "Hey! Stop right there!"

Ariadne, not a fool, didn't stop, but Isabella, with superhuman strength, grabbed her sleeve, forcing her to stop at the bottom of the stairs.

- "What? You know I don't like talk about my figure. Hey, you wicked woman! When did you ever say that?"

The stairs where Isabella caught Ariadne were the same ones where, on her first day, Arabella had pushed Isabella down, leading to her punishment. The central staircase was unusually high and narrow.

Isabella, standing on the narrow landing, aggressively pushed Ariadne.

- "You're really good at shifting the blame, aren't you?"

Ariadne, without a word, resisted Isabella's physical assault. As Ariadne didn't actively resist, Isabella, even more enraged, tried to pull out all of Ariadne's hair.

- "You're nothing! How dare you rise up after being pampered!"

Unable to control her anger, Isabella raised her hand to slap Ariadne.

- "Do you think I can't bury you in the San Carlo social scene?!"

Just as Isabella was about to swing, her wrist suddenly wouldn't move. Ariadne, who was a head taller, had grabbed Isabella's wrist tightly.

- "Let go! You bitch!"

But Ariadne's grip, though trembling, showed no sign of letting go. Ariadne, holding Isabella's wrist high above her head, leaned in close to Isabella's ear and whispered.

- "You bitch, I'll bury you."

Isabella stood frozen, never imagining that her opponent would resist, let alone use such harsh words.

Ariadne quickly warned Isabella in a low voice.

- "Do you think only you can swear?"

Ariadne threw Isabella's wrist away as if it were a rag. Physically overpowered, Isabella, wincing in pain, lost even more of her momentum. She took a step back, and on the narrow landing, she was precariously hanging over the steep stairs.

Ariadne leaned in close to Isabella's face, staring at her like a predator.

- "Be careful when you sleep at night. Don't forget we live in the same house. I only have to cross one wooden plank in the hallway to reach your room."

Ariadne turned and left, leaving the shocked Isabella behind. She found it a waste of time to spend any more on someone like Isabella. It was time to return to the empty party and show who the true master was.